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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28502526">Ghost House Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfSquish/pseuds/WolfSquish'>WolfSquish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coming Out, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Homophobia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:08:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28502526</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfSquish/pseuds/WolfSquish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>We all know Sirius ran away from home when he was 16. Did he though?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black &amp; James Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>DA's Found Family - Make The Yuletide Gay</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ghost House Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrysKrossZee/pseuds/KrysKrossZee">KrysKrossZee</a>  in the  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FoundFamilyMakeTheYuletideGay">FoundFamilyMakeTheYuletideGay</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <strong>Prompt:</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Character A has been rejected by their family (reason is up to the author) but they discover that they have the best friends.</p><p>Thanks for MAPMonstersArePerceptions for the beta!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Out! OUT!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shouts echoed in his head as he stumbled down the steps leading to what had been his childhood home, though it never quite had felt that way. Sirius stuffed his hands deeper into the jacket that his mother had hated ever since he got it and sniffled as he started to walk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the summer air, he shivered before deciding that heading for the Leaky Cauldron was probably his best bet. He had his wand with him and not much else, but to use magic away from home wouldn’t exactly be the smartest move. On the other hand, it would certainly make the whole ‘disgrace to the family name’ thing public which they’d hate…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius shook himself as he stepped into the bar that led to his world, and eventually to the people that actually accepted him, muggle-loving, men-loving, tradition-eschewing and all. Stepping into the Leaky and being that much closer to the people he wished were his family was the breath of fresh air and relief he’d half expected to feel as he left, probably for good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Tom, can I make a floo call?” Tom gave him a Look from behind the bar, but didn’t pause polishing the glass in his hands as he nodded to Sirius. “Thanks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius ducked behind the bar as well and went through the door to the office that was hidden in the shelves of various bottles filled with dubious liquids. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hand shook as he picked up a bit of floo powder and called out James’ address before sticking his head through, knees sinking into a pillow that might once have actually made the process bearable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius? What’s wrong dear?” Mrs Potter had looked up from the book she was reading on the sofa at the sound of the fireplace lighting up, and hadn’t needed more than half a second to see Sirius wasn’t okay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Words wouldn’t come as he opened his mouth to speak and he shook his head helplessly for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Can I pop through?” Very belatedly he added a sheepish grin to try and assuage the worry now written clearly across her face. It didn’t seem to work as an actual frown furled across her forehead, though James’ mum nodded and gestured for him to come through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius pulled his head back, got to his feet and thanked Tom, before stepping through to find that James and Mr Potter had joined Mrs Potter in the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright?” James asked with a tilt of his head, his expression an exact mirror of his mum’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Again, Sirius’ grin lacked any and all conviction, but James just nodded and waved him over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither boy noticed the glance exchanged by Mr and Mrs Potter as James slung an arm over Sirius’ shoulder and steered him to his room, already chattering about an idea Peter had come up with when he was over the week before. Sirius didn’t really listen as they walked, and as soon as he sat down in his usual spot on the rug in James’ room, what remained of his stoic mask dropped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>James hadn’t even closed the door behind them when a sob wracked through him, and helpless tears followed. It wasn’t the first time he’d come to the Potters’ late and upset, but it was the first time he started crying before he explained what happened,with a side of rage against his relatives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a sign of how well they knew each other that James just sat down next to him, close enough that Sirius could reach out by just letting himself fall sideways, but far away enough that he wasn’t directly in his space. Even with James’ support, however, it still took until Sirius’ throat felt raw for him to begin to calm down enough to accept a hug -let alone take comfort from it- which James gave as soon as Sirius lifted an arm in silent invitation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told her.” Sirius managed when James’ eyes had started to droop, as if they were going to fall asleep right there. It sent an obvious jolt down James’ spine that had him wide awake again as soon as his sluggish brain had processed the words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James got up, grabbed some pyjamas from his dresser, and handed them to Sirius. “Go get changed, I’ll let Mum and Dad know that you’re staying for the rest of the summer.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Part of Sirius wanted to scream and shout that he didn’t want to, he wanted to go home, to actually feel like home was a home in the first place, that he didn’t want to start hiding all over again. But every other part of him was tired, and intensely grateful he had even one friend like this, and he knew if he’d shown up at Peter’s or Remus’, they’d have done the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he quietly changed into the pyjamas, the bottoms of which were as usual too short, and the top of which felt like a tent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was perfect.</span>
</p><p> </p>
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